Coupling nut



N. A. JONES cQuPLINe/ NUT sept. 14, 194s.

Filed Aug. 26, 1946 .2 Sheets-Sheet l www lVZsouA. Jdues a@ @m// Sept. 14, 1948. N. A. JONES 2,449,121

gmc/who@ MZsonA. Tones Patented Sept. 14,A 1948 `'Um-T.151D sTA'rE-s frgfNfr ffeFric-i:

l This invention relates to'a coupling device, and more particularly to Va device adaptedfor coupling the ends of a hose or'conduit. It is equally adaptable to flexible'rubber -rhose or metallic conduit-or pipe. -It will be readily' apparent that 'thedevice is also adaptable to retain a closure member "on the end of a pipe-,spout or faucet.

' Devices Vof the general type Vdisclosed herein are already known in the prior art. However, there are certain disadvantages of the prior devices'whi'ch 'it isdesired toV overcome by this invention. In the prior devices 'it has not been Vuncommon to usey interconnecting 'parts which have tongues or lugs 'which are movable into interlocking engagement fby relative rotational movement. v'In most of'these devices the lugs on `at least one lofthe parts are provided with inclined cam surfaces whereby the 'relative rotational movement dra'wsthe two parts together.

While-this type oi general arrangementwas L easy tof 'couple and uncouple, it had a serious 'drawback inthat when the device was subjected to jarring or vibration, the creeping relative rotational Vmovement of `the parts caused the coupling to be disconnected.

This was caused partlybylreason-of 'the fact thatthelocking cam sur-faces of the lugs were in a plane inclined 'with 'respect to the axis of 'the coupling device so -that'the least relative rotational-'movement between 'the vparts permitted' the 'latter to separate slightly. Thisf-in'turn reduced the pressure and 4'the friction between the -cam Isurfaces with the result th'atvthe resistanee'to relative rotational movement 'was further' 'reduced and consequently the two parts become'uni 4locked by jarring andvibration. The gpresent invention 'overcomes the above' disadvantages by mak-ing the coupling means-separate from th'e me'ans fon-drawing together the vtwo elements whichlare held-in duid-tight engagementso `that relative rotational-rriov'einent` between Ithe interlocking-.lugs on the coupling device will not Faffect'the pressure between. the .coupled elements.

The :invention provides a twoeparticeuplin'g ring wherein one part .has a Vswivel -connection'with one fof the elements to be vccupled'and "the other part isfthreadedly engaged withv the other -element. The two parts Tof the coupling ring-have Acircurnferentially interlocking lugs which permit the partsto' be quicklyuncoupled. The inter- .locking lugs fonthe coupling ring .parts and `'the threaded connection between'the one part and one of the elements to be coupled are effectively in mechanical series so that'the 'coupling-may -be'rotated inone directiontollock'the two' parts 2 togethefand continued rotation will draw' 'tog'ether'the'i'two "elements'to be coupled. Then byV rotating 'the coupling Adevice 'in thebpposite direction the interlocking lugs'are' quickly disengaged wandthe two velements are 'quickly uncoupled. y

'The general object ofthe invention is'to overc'omethedisadvantagesof the prior devices, and to'provi'dean improved coupling device of simple and economical construction', and one which `will 'be 'easier to manipulate than the couplings :heretofore known.

A further object'of the inventionis to provide a" coupling device which can be quickly connected and drawninto tight sealing engagement and yet can be very quickly disconnected.

Anoth'er'obje'ct isto provide an improved coupling devic'efin which a two-part coupling ring is provided for connecting together the two elements of the coupling, 'and in which one part of 'the coupling ring has screw-threaded engagement with one 'of the elements for exerting pressureon the sealing surfaces, the other part oi the ring being rotatablyengaged with the other element, both parts of the coupling ring being provided with' circumferentially extending lugs hfavinginterlocking surfaceswhich are in planes at rightang'les to the axisv of the coupling device, land which vcan be` disengaged by relative rotational movement of thelcoupling ring for quickly 'disconnecting the two Velements oi the coupling.

A further object is to provide a coupling of the type described WhichcanA beeconoinically manufactured.

A 'further object is to` provide an improved coupling device which may be fabricated from bar steel, forged cast'steeljcast iron, or from plastic materials.

Other and urtherobjects of the invention will `bereadily apparent; and the vadvantages thereof willbe understood fromthefollowing description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, whichillu'strate' a preferred embodiment Vof theinvention, and in which:

' Figurel'is V`an*elevational"view of a coupling device made-inaccordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a cross "section `of Figure 1 on the 'line Q4-Land 'looking inthe direction of the arrows, and

Figur-e 3 fis an exploded viewrin perspective of the elements 'of the coupling device.

@In the illustrated embodiment of the present invention, 'the coupling device is disclosed as comprisi'ngftwo nipples 10,- I'i,fwhich are adapted to be attached to the two ends of a hose or conduit to be coupled. As shown in the drawings, they are adapted to threadedly engage 'conduits such as pipes, but it will be obvious that they may be secured thereto in any other desired and suitable manner. A two-part coupling ring I2 comprising an outer body portion I3, and an inner adapter I4, serve as the means for drawing the two nipples together and holding them in fluidtight engagement. The nipple I has an annular flange I 6 provided with a radial surface which is engaged by an annular radial surface of a collar I'I on the outer body portion I3, thereby providing a swivel connection between the latter and the nipple I. The nipple II is provided with external threads which are adapted to engage internal threads on the adapter I4 as shown.

As better shown in Figure 3, the adapter I4 is provided with external circumferentially spaced lugs I8 having plane surfaces I9 which are arranged at right angles to the axis of the adapter I4 and the coupling device as a whole for reasons which will be readily apparent as the description proceeds.

The outer body portion I3 is provided with a plurality of internal circumferentially spaced lugs 2 I, which in effect constitute segments of an internal flange. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the body portion I3 and the adapter I i are adapted to fit together in nested relation and therefore it will be apparent that the lugs I 8 on the adapter I4 are of such dimension as to pass through the recesses 22 between the lugs 2| on the body portion I3. Also, as shown in Figure 3, the axial distance between the inner surface of the flange or collar II and the inner surface of the lugs 2I of the body portion I3 is suliicient to accommodate the flange I5 of the nipple II] and the lugs I8 of the adapter I 4 when the coupling ring and the nipples are in assembled relation.

The inner surfaces of the lugs ZI are at right angles to the axis of the coupling ring. When the coupling device is assembled the lugs I8 of the adapter I4 pass through the recesses 22. By rotating the adapter I4 clockwise with respect to the body portion I3 in the position shown in Figure 3, the lugs IB will circumferentially overlap and form an interlocked coupling with the lugs 2| of the body portion I3. The blocks I8a on the adapter I4 limit the relative rotation between the adapter I4 and the outer body portion i 3.

As pointed out above, the inner surfaces of the lugs 2| on the body portion I3 and the surfaces I9 of the lugs I8 on the adapter I4 are at right angles to the axis of the coupling ring and therefore no camming action results from relative rotation between the body portion I3 and the adapter I4. This is an important feature since it relieves the coupling means of any camming action, reduces the tendency of vibration or jarring to cause uncoupling and facilitates coupling and uncoupling when desired.

The nipple I0 is provided with a smooth fluidsealing surface 2B which is adapted to engage a complementary fluid-sealing surface 2'I of the nipple II. These two surfaces may be at, conical or spherical and are drawn together and held in fluid-sealing engagement by the coupling ring described.

The operation of the coupling device Will now be described. Assuming that the nipples ID and II are attached to any suitable conduits or pipes to be connected together, the external surface 26 of the male portion of the nipple I0 is brought 4 into engagement with the internal surface 21 of the nipple II. The lugs of the adapter I4 will pass through the recesses 22 between the lugs 2I of the body portion I3 and by rotating the body portion I3 relative to the adapter I4 in a counterclockwise direction (as viewed in Figure 3), the lugs I8 of the adapter I4 and the lugs 2I of the body portion I3 will be brought into circumferentially overlapping interlocking engagement. The relative rotation between the body portion I3 and the adapter I4 is limited by the engagement of the blocks Ilia with the ends of the lugs 2I. Then by continuing to rotate the body portion I3 in the saine direction, the adapter I4 will be rotated with it and the adapter I 4 will be advanced on the screws on the nipple I I to force the surfaces 26 and 21 on the nipples I 0 and I I, respectively, into fluid-tight engagement. When it is desired to disconnect the two nipples ID, I I, the body portion I3 is turned in the opposite or clockwise direction (as viewed in Figure 3), so that the interlocking lugs 2I on the body portion I3 are disengaged from the lugs I8 of the adapter I4, permitting the two parts of the coupling ring I2 and the nipples I0, II to be separated. Before the two nipples can again be easily coupled together, it will be necessary to rotate the adapter I4 relative to the nipple II to unscrew it slightly in order that the adapter may be readily inserted in the body portion I3 far enough for the lugs I8 to be engaged behind the lugs 2l. Then, when the body portion I3 is again rotated the adapter I4 will be screwed back in the opposite direction on the nipple II to draw the nipples I0, I I together.

It will be noted from the above description that the arrangement of the two-part coupling ring I2 provides a device in which the screwthreads draw together the two elements I 0, II, to be coupled, and the interlocking lugs I8 and ZI provide an arrangement for very quickly detaching the two parts. As shown in the drawings, the main body portion I3 is provided with .hammer lugs 28 which may be tapped by a hammer or a Wrench to cause rotation thereof. It will be obvious that the outer surface of the body portion I3 may be provided with any desired surfaces which may be engaged by a wrench for turning the coupling ring I2.

For purposes of illustration the invention has been described as a coupling device for the ends of a pipe or conduit, but it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that one of the pipes could be a closure device, such as those usable with lling connection for a fuel tank. It is intended that the terms hose, conduit or pipe as used herein, be not interpreted in a limited sense. For example, one of the nipples could be a closure member to be locked against the other nipple which might constitute a filling connection for a container, such as a fuel tank. The closure member could be quickly removed by merely rotating the coupling ring to unlock the circumferentially overlapping lugs of the two parts of the coupling ring.

Although the invention has been described in considerable detail it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many variations are possible without departing from the inventive concept. It is therefore desired that the invention shall not be limited except in so far as is :made necessary by the prior art and by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A coupling device of the type described comprising a plurality of nipples adapted to be attached to the ends of pipes to be coupled together, one of said nipples having an annular outwardly extending flange and a sealing surface disposed inwardly of said flange and the other of said nipples having external screw threads, a female coupling member having a radially inwardly extending flange adapted to rotatably engage said outwardly extending flange, said female member also having a plurality of radially inwardly extending circumferentially spaced lugs, the inner surface of said lugs being arranged at right angles to the axis of said member and spaced axially from said inwardly extending ilange, a male coupling member having internal threads adapted to engage the external threads on the other of said nipples and an annular end sealing surface complemental to the sealing surface of said other nipple, said male coupling member also having outwardly extending lugs so spaced circumferentially as to permit their entry between the lugs on said female coupling member to permit said male member to be assembled in nested relation with said iemale member whereby upon relative rotational movement between said coupling members the lugs on the respective members will be moved into overlapped engagement, and means on said male coupling member adapted to engage the ends of the lugs on said female member to limit relative movement between said coupling members whereby continued movement of said female coupling member will rotate said male coupling member and cause said elements to be drawn together in fluid-tight engagement.

2. As a new item of manufacture, a coupling device of the type described for coupling togethel two nipples which are adapted to be attached to the ends of 'pipes which are to be coupled together, comprising an outer coupling member and an inner coupling member, said outer coupling member having an inwardly extending flange on one side thereof adapted to engage an outwardly extending flange on the other of said members, said inner coupling member having internal threads adapted to threadingly engage threads on the other of said members, said outer coupling member having a plurality of circumferentially spaced inwardly extending lugs, the inner surface of said lugs being in a plane normal to the -axis of said coupling member and spaced from said inwardly extending flange, said inner coupling member having a plurality of complementary outwardly extending lugs adapted to enter the space between the lugs on said outer coupling member whereby upon relative rotational movement between said coupling members the lugs on the respective members will be moved into interlocked engagement, said inner coupling member being provided with stop means to limit the relative rotational movement between said inner and outer coupling members whereby said nipples and pipes may be quickly coupled in fluid-tight engagement by causing said inner coupling member to be assembled in nested relation in said outer coupling member and by rotating said outer coupling member to cause interlocking engagement between the lugs on the inner and outer coupling members and by further rotation to tighten said inner coupling member on the nipple on which it is screwthreadedly engaged.

NELSON A. JONES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,442,371 Tulloch Jan. 16, 1923 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 507,518 Great Britain June 16, 1939 

